101 Closed in Santa Barbara until 1-15-2017
 

For anyone traveling on the central coast of California , due to the mudslides in Santa Barbara/Montecito, the 101 is closed until Monday at the earliest. From Interstate 5, Highway 166 may be used which brings you into Santa Maria and you can get as far into downtown Santa Barbara, if absolutely necessary. The best information is from Caltrans or local press at the Santa Barbara Independent or Noozhawk.

At least January 15 2018 is a legal holiday, MLK Jr. Day. How long a stretch is closed?

The Highway 101 closure is now from Highway 150 in Carpinteria through Milpas Street in Santa Barbara.

The pictures are just so hard to look at.The damage and deaths from these slides are horrible. Some of the road is gone. I would be surprised it would be opened that quickly.

I don't think it will be reopened by then. There is still muddy water running into the freeway that now looks like a huge swamp.

My wife's sister lives in Carpinteria, survived the fires, ash, toxic air and now the mudslide. They are landlocked in though and local stores are running short on supplies. Ocean ferries are taking people around the closed areas of 101.

We're under two hours north and yes, it is extremely hard to watch on the local news.

By the way, the number missing exploded to 48 last night which can potentially raise fatalities to around 65. That hasn't hit national news yet.

Revised number is 8 missing, 48 was an error.

At least eight people are missing after Tuesday's mudslides in and around the oceanside community of Montecito, officials said. An earlier report from county officials that 48 were missing was a "clerical error," the sheriff's office said.

California mudslides: The frantic search for survivors - CNN

Saw that! That's great news!

With temps in the 70's and dry all next week hopefully main roads will get cleared.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7cd46d446.jpeg

Even with pumps, there is nowhere for the water to go.

wow, I figured out how to post a picture. What you are looking at is the 101 in Santa Barbara.

The latest news is that all beaches are all closed ... all the way south including the Rincon. Debris and sewage has made for unsafe conditions.

We were at the intersection three weeks ago. It’s just horrible. Hard to comprehend. I worry that when it rains again, the same thing will happen.

Some of my family lives in SB. They have been told the 101 will not be open on Jan. 15th. Opening is postponed "indefinitely." However, Amtrak is running, but It's been standing room only.

Jean, I just read that in the LA Times. Apparently, as fast as water is pumped out, more flows in and will continue to do so until they are able to repair all the sheared-off fire hydrants and other sources of water. Also, it's going to rain again in a week. There's a stretch where the water is so deep that it covers the center divide.

I work in Santa Barbara and the word is that at least one of the bridges has been red tagged as structurally unsafe but until all of the mud and water is cleaned up, which may take weeks, they do not yet know what repairs will need to be done to the roads. At this time, has, water, power, internet is shut off in Montecito and all residents have been evacuated to make room for the rescue, recovery and clean up. It is a dire situation and not business as usual.

Over on TA there were people urging travelers to still come and enjoy the area... unbelievable. I held my tongue... just barely.

lynni, it truly is a dire situation. Unbelievable. Not everyone in Montecito is as rich as Oprah. Not everyone has a second home to evacuate to. People whose homes were not damaged, now have to move out for an unspecified time, possibly weeks, hopefully not months. Their homeowner's or renter's insurance will reimburse the cost, but still.

lynni - Why are you holding your tongue? Honest question. If people are making recommendations to visitors that aren't appropriate, why aren't you saying anything?

Are you sure? Isn't this event defined as a flood? I don't believe most home owner's insurance includes flood insurance but a separate policy is required. Of course I could be wrong but that's how I understand it, that once the water is on the ground and that water is what causes the damage, flood insurance is what covers it.

MmePerdu,

Sorry, I was not clear enough. Their insurance will reimburse the cost of somewhere to stay, food, etc while they are evacuated. Flood, including mudslides, and earth movement are not usually covered under standard homeowner's or renter's insurance policies. I don't think you can buy flood insurance whch is only provided by the Federal government, unless you live in a designated flood plain.

Yes, I understood and I'm still wondering, if it's a flood that's the reason the residents are out of their houses, why homeowner's insurance that doesn't cover floods would pay the costs of evacuation.

Regarding buying flood insurance, I live at 2500' elevation, definitely not in a flood plain and received an offer for flood insurance recently. Not expensive and, given these hill dwellers' experience, maybe a good idea for everyone.